I was raised on a farm near Forest City, Iowa, graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and then from the University of Iowa College of Law. My first job out of law school was as Iowa Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety and then as the first Director of the Iowa Crime Commission. I was a candidate for State Attorney General, then began trial practice with the Meardon Law Firm in Iowa City.
In my first major trial, I represented a young and very talented basketball player at the University of Iowa, James Speed, who was blinded because of medical neglect. Since then, medical malpractice has been my special area of interest. As a part of my practice for about two decades, I also negotiated contracts and represented college athletes who became professionals in football, basketball and baseball after completing college.
Karen Lorenzen and I formed our own law firm, Hayes Lorenzen Lawyers PLC in 1999 and we have grown to the five lawyers now with our firm. In our state-wide practice, we handle a wide range of personal injury cases involving medical neglect, vehicular accidents, fires, industrial accidents, product failures – any kind of cases where people are badly injured, such as brain injuries and major physical disabilities.
We are proud of the service we provide to the citizens of Iowa. All of our lawyers are actively involved in the profession, in our community and in our state.